


Future World Fes: All Stars

by Nellancholy



Category: BanG Dream! (Anime), BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game), Love Live! School Idol Festival (Video Game), Love Live! School Idol Project, Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: F/F, Festivals, Road Trips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-05-30 11:12:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 14,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15095525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nellancholy/pseuds/Nellancholy
Summary: Muse,Aqours,and the Bandori girls set out on a trip to perform at the biggest music festival of the year. Adventure ensues.[Based on a combination of the Love Live All Stars timeline in which Muse and Aqours are the same age,with the Bandori universe][With the addition of an epilogue,this fic is now complete!]





	1. Tokyo

**Author's Note:**

> The trip to Aomori takes around 7-8 hours without stopping,passing through the prefectures of Saitama,Tochigi,Fukushima,Miyagi,and Iwate in order.
> 
> But they'll stop. Oh yes,they'll stop.

Kanan idly ran her fingers through her hair,looking up at the dawning sun.

 

Future World Fes…one of the biggest annual music festivals. To her surprise,Aqours had been invited to perform there. She supposed that showed just how much their work had paid off. Not just Aqours,but also Muse and several other girl bands in the Tokyo area.

 

The festival this year was going to be held in Aomori,all the way to the north of the mainland. Taking a train up from Shizuoka,Aqours had met up with Muse and the other bands the night before. Two buses had been chartered by the festival organizers to transport the performers,and Mari had graciously pitched in to rent a box truck that could carry the bulk of their equipment.

 

Kokoro had offered to have everyone just flown over to Aomori,but that had been quickly vetoed by several of the others in the group chat.

 

_**Sayo:** Adapting to the touring experience is an essential part of a musician’s career in today’s world. We will not deny ourselves that experience for a moment of ease._

_**Chika:** Yeah,this’ll be fun! It’ll be like a vacation,but like a grown-up one!_

_**Kaoru:** Ah,travelling as the Bard used to;this fleeting experience shall be a fond memory for all of us._

_**Nico:** As much as Nico-nii would love to get the star treatment,she knows how to be modest too! With that,Muse shall travel alongside all of you as well!_

 

And so it was settled,and so they would set out.

 

Kanan glanced at Maya,who groaned a little as she lifted the last piece of equipment into the truck,a large amplifier with several lightning bolt and star stickers on it.

 

“You alright? I can probably watch the stuff myself,you know. Used to hauling supplies for my dad’s dive shop,and everyone can help to unload when we arrive,anyway.”

 

Maya’s face might have been red from the exertion,but it got just a little redder.

 

“Ah,Kanan-san,it’s alright,I’ll come with you! I do like being around the equipment,and I can make any last minute adjustments if the need arises…”

 

Kanan gave something between a shrug and a nod as she climbed into the driver’s seat and started up the engine. “Sure,hop in then. I wouldn’t mind having another strong pair of arms to help with the unloading…”

 

Maya blinked. “…”

 

Without another word,she got into the truck as well.

 

But neither of them noticed a spool of cable unfurling,splaying itself across the floor of the truck cabin…

* * *

Chika stared intently at the paper sign taped to the window of the bus.

 

_**Future World Fes transport bus 01** _

__

_**Aqours - Poppin’ Party - Roselia** _

 

It was real. This was really happening.

 

Performing over streams and at inter-school events and Love Live-sponsored events was one thing.

 

But this…the nation’s biggest festival…

 

Aqours would be there. And for a few hours,they’d be living a dream onstage greater than anything they could have imagined.

 

She blinked. A sob escaped her lips as a single tear rolled down her face.

 

Almost instantly,Aya’s concerned voice piped up from behind her. “Ch-chika-chan! What’s wrong?! A-are you hurt?”

 

Chika’s voice swelled as she brushed a finger across her cheek. “N-no,it’s just…I can’t believe it…I’ve…we’ve become so famous…our performance,streamed live across the whole country…”

 

Aya’s hand clasped Chika’s. “Y-you’re right…! E-even Pasupare…to perform at this level…waaaaaaah!” Their overjoyed tears flowed freely as they gave themselves just a few moments to be taken in by the enormity of what they were soon to do,an expression of their passion and talent that all of the young,energetic performers would share on stage.

 

Chisato sighed,handing both of them a pack of tissues as she rested her hand on Aya’s shoulder. “Alright Aya,get it out now…it’s better than getting your eyes puffy right before a show.” Perhaps she was speaking from experience. With that,she all but dragged Aya to the other bus,as the preparations to depart were completed.

 

Chika couldn’t help but smile as she wiped the tears out of her eyes and boarded the bus.

 

A new chapter was starting for them all,and this was only the first sentence.


	2. Saitama-Tochigi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Honoka has a little bit of introspection.
> 
> Hina plays a little prank.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I probably won't really be commenting on the locations they pass through. This isn't a vacation tour,after all.
> 
> They're just noted so I can set a pace for this little story.

_I don’t think you trust_

_My_

_Self-righteous suicide_

_I cry_

_When angels deserve to **DIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE**_

 

The instrumental track blared from someone’s phone over at the rear end of the bus,Yohane and Tae howling the lyrics in unison as Ako air-drummed furiously on the backs of the seats.

 

Lisa,sitting closer to the middle,shook her head and glanced over at Yukina,who was staring blankly out the window. Sure,Yukina was used to Ako’s antics by now. But the stress of heading towards a major event could really stack up,and Lisa knew Yukina well enough to know how to get her to loosen up by now.

 

Leaning over the aisle of the bus,she whispered to Sayo. “Psst,Sayo. Think you can pass me the thermos from my bag? I’d like to have some tea with Yukina…”

 

Sayo snorted,an uncharacteristic smile creeping onto her face. “Hehe,who’s Sayo?”

 

Lisa,for her part,didn’t skip a beat. “Hina,could you pass me the thermos? It’s over there,in the side compartment…”

 

“Awww,at least react a little…” Hina’s smile didn’t break as she passed the bottle to Lisa,who popped it open and poured some of the warm tea into the cap for Yukina.

 

Yukina frowned as she took the cup,her expression barely changing as she took a sip of the pleasantly bitter drink. “What are you doing here anyway,Hina-san? It’s a good thing those of us in Roselia have already gone over our setlist twenty times…” With that veiled threat,she passed the cup back to Lisa.

 

“Oh,you know!” Hina shrugged. “Twins seem to switch places in movies and anime all the time,but I never really got to try that with Sayo-chan before,and not for want of trying. It feels pretty boppin’,I had you guys fooled the whole time,like a spy or something…” She tilted her head towards the mini punk concert going on at the end of the bus. “…and I kinda wanted to hang out with Yohane,you know?”

 

Lisa sighed. Well,as Yukina so humbly said,Roselia knew their set backwards and forwards already. There wasn’t really any last-minute planning or rehearsal to do. She supposed running a tight ship meant surprises like this couldn’t really trip you up.

 

Nevertheless,she picked up her phone.

 

_**Lisa:** Sayo-chan,you okay over there?_

 

 

* * *

 

 

Sayo frowned.

 

_**Sayo:** Finally caught on,I see. Don’t worry about switching us back,I’m fine over here. We’re not stopping for anything except fuel and rest anyway._

_**Lisa:** Haha,what’d she even do though? To get you over there…_

 

A pause.

 

_**Sayo:** Nothing. I just got on the bus and I guess she **conveniently** forgot to correct me._

 

With that,Sayo shut off her phone’s screen,looking around the bus.

 

_**Future World Fes transport bus 02** _

__

_**Muse - Afterglow - Pastel*Palettes - Hello, Happy World!** _

 

So these were Hina’s bandmates in Pastel*Palettes. Aya and Chisato were huddled together,Chisato walking Aya through some sort of combination meditation/vocal exercise. Eve was prattling on and on about archery and how it was a greater expression of bushido than even swordsmanship to Muse’s Umi Sonoda,who to her credit seemed to be taking it in good humor. And Maya,of course,was driving in shifts with Aqours’ Kanon…Kaede,or something like that,in the truck carrying their equipment.

 

Sayo sighed,deflating in her seat. Of course the idol industry had room for…eccentric people like them.

 

She closed her eyes,not to nap so early in the day,but at least rest her dry eyes a bit. Makeup would cover it up anyway,but she couldn’t afford a trivial distraction like that to disturb her during the festival.

 

Alas,her attempt at relaxation was interrupted by a rustling behind her seat,before a grey-haired girl leaned into her view.

 

“Yo,Hikawa.” Moca smirked. “Don’t know if you guys in the Minty-Hair household managed to get some breakfast this morning,but here. Got a good deal on onigiri at the 8-Twelve last night.” With that,she reached precariously over the top of Sayo’s seat,dropping a rice ball into her lap.

 

Sayo grumbled and shifted in her seat. Now she had to try and keep her eyes closed while trying to make sure the rice ball didn’t fall to the floor. A typical,annoyance-filled day for Sayo Hikawa.

 

* * *

 

 

With Moca and Hanayo having caught several of their friends up in an intense analysis of the perfect methods and materials that went into the perfect rice ball,Honoka found herself talking to the other…leaders of the groups accompanying them.

 

Kasumi sighed wistfully,shaking her head a little. “Well…that’s my story,anyway. I’ve been wanting to recapture that feeling I found that night,looking up at the stars. So…small,yet so powerful,like the points of light from distant stars that arrive on Earth! That’s why Poppin’ Party came together,to chase that feeling of unity and power through our music!”

 

At this juncture,Kokoro poked her head in unbidden. “Wow,Kasumi! That’s kind of what Hello, Happy World is gonna do,too! Except instead of starry unity,we’re gonna put a smile on everyone’s face! That’s totally kind of the same thing,right?” Without waiting for an answer,she turned back to her bandmates. “Everyone,show the members of Muse our cheer!”

 

“Happy,lucky!”

 

“Smile,hooray!”

 

With the delivery of Hello,Happy World’s passionate cheer,Kokoro looked out over their fellow musicians on the bus. “Hey,where is Michelle,anyway?” Their mascot-suited DJ had a tendency of appearing or disappearing at the most unexpected of times.

 

Kanon sighed,piping up. “W-well,remember when we said Michelle couldn’t really fit into the bus? And she wouldn’t have fit on the private plane,either…that’s why she’s riding on the truck,with Yamato-san and Matsuura-san.”

Kokoro nodded enthusiastically,as though she’d already known that all along. “On the truck with Yamato-san and Matsuura-san,that’s right!”

 

Kaoru chuckled. “I do hope that our dear,furry friend doesn’t get too dusty there. It would be a shame to see the fleeting beauty of her pink fur be marred by the filth of a common carriage…”

 

* * *

 

 

A mic stand tipped over in the truck,hitting the side of the cabin.

 

If they were anywhere other than a jam-packed street on an afternoon day in the summer vacation period,Maya and Kanan might have been able to hear it.

 

* * *

 

“So,what’s your story anyway,Honoka-chan?” Kasumi peered inquisitively at the redhead. “Idol groups form pretty quickly,and they work so well together…you guys must be really close,huh?”

 

Honoka shook a little,roused from deep thought. “Ah? Um,well,me and Kotori-chan and Umi-chan have been friends since we were kids,but…” She idly reached up,touching her pigtail. “…we kind of formed Muse with the others because our school was gonna close down,and if we had something that’d make more students want to enrol,we could save it…I was,I am a big fan of A-RISE,the school idol group from UTX Academy.” She smiled softly up at Kasumi. “So I guess I kind of knew that a school idol group of our own was just what we needed to bring interest back to Otonokizaka High School. But now that we do have enough enrolments for the next year,now that we did save our school…”

 

Honoka turned back to looking out the window.

 

Now that they’d met their most important goal,now that they were almost as great as A-RISE…what was left for them?

 

Maybe,just maybe…she’d find her answer at Future World Fes.


	3. Tochigi-Fukushima

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mari emotes just a little bit.
> 
> Hanayo says what everyone's thinking.

Yohane and Ako leaned on each other,snoring lightly in their seats on the bus. Most of the other passengers probably appreciated the wave of quiet that washed over the bus once they decided to have a rest.

 

With the bus stopped for refueling,most of them filed out as well,taking the opportunity to stretch their legs. Mari exhaled,her arms up in the air as she walked alongside Hina. This was…nice. Despite her radiant,energetic persona,Mari wasn’t actually the most sociable of people. She suspected that the gregarious Hina tended not to see others so much as “people she could be friends with” so much as “people she could talk at.”

 

Even so,it was…nice to be around such an strong presence.

 

“Maa,you must really like your sister,yes? Sayo-chan sounds like a lovely person to have around…” Idly,she reached down to a bush in a planter opposite the petrol station,picking off a small blue flower.

 

Hina smiled widely as she always did,swinging her arms by her side. “Oh yeah! Like I said,she’s really good at guitar,and she’s a great leader to Roselia,it’s almost like she speaks for Yukina-san,you know? And her room’s always so neat,and most of all,she’s so boppin’ nice to me like a sister should be!” Coming from anyone else,it might sound like something you say to reassure yourself it’s true despite all evidence to the contrary. But coming from Hina,Mari felt the wide-eyed sincerity of every word.

 

“It’s…wonderful that you’ve got someone like that around…” Mari picked another flower. “I’ve never had a sister of my own…but Kanan and Dia have been there for me all along.” Somehow,she felt like walking under the afternoon sun with this almost-stranger had loosened her lips. Made her heart…open. “Even if I feel lonely sometimes…I guess I never really lost out,not with friends like them. And…Yohane…” She looked down,eyeing the gathered flowers in her palm.

 

When Yohane woke up 10 minutes later,she found tiny flowers slit or sprinkled into her hair,as smoothly as someone could possibly do without waking her up.

 

* * *

 

 

Hanayo moaned softly.

 

She felt a little dizzy.

 

Had to get some water.

 

Her neck hurt.

 

She really shouldn’t be sleeping in moving vehicles.

 

“R-rin-chan…”,she groaned,not bothering to open her eyes. “Could you please pass me the water bottle?”

 

“Sure,Kayochin! Get ready to catch!” With a swoosh,two water bottles fell into her lap.

 

Wait. Two bottles?

 

“Rin-chan,I only need one…” Her eyes fluttered open.

 

She blinked.

 

And blinked again.

 

Two…two Rins?

 

Hanayo’s scream rang throughout the bus.

 

* * *

 

 

“My,my.” Kaoru chuckled. “It seems our Hagumi and your Rin-chan look rather alike. ‘ _Two kittens,alike in adorability,in fair Tochigi,in which we make our scene…_ ’” Already she was on yet another tangent,immersed in a play in which she was the only actor,and the only audience member.

 

“S-sorry…” Hanayo blushed. “I can’t really see right without my glasses,and I guess I panicked for a moment,thought something was wrong with my eyes…”

 

Aya giggled,giving Hanayo a little pat on her shoulder. “I-it’s fine…I kinda got surprised the first time I saw Hina and Sayo together,too! She never said they were twins…and you know,our Maya-chan keeps her glasses off during performances too,you could look into getting contacts…”

 

Not far away,Rin and Hagumi peered at each other,almost nose to nose.

 

Rin raised her right arm,almost like a cat’s paw.

 

Hagumi raised her left.

 

Hagumi tilted her head to the left.

 

Rin tilted hers to her right.

 

“D-do we really look alike,nya? I don’t see it…”

 

“Neither do I,nya!” Hagumi stopped short,realising what she’d just said.

 

Rin’s devious smile widened,as she leaned into Hagumi.

 

“Nya~?”

 

“N-nya…”

 

* * *

 

 

Somewhere not too far away,Yukina sneezed.

 

“ _Someone must be talking about… **cats**._ ”

 

* * *

 

 

The truck wound along the curving side street,thankfully free of traffic.

 

Maya resisted the urge to curse,grumbling wordlessly under her breath instead. Who knew that the GPS would direct them so far off track to avoid traffic? They’d probably lost more time than they would staying on the packed main roads.

 

At least they were still making good time…the buses were probably in Fukushima already.

 

It was at this moment that yet another thing decided to go wrong,as a loud rumbling sounded from the truck cabin,something almost like several components falling over and crashing into each other.

 

Kanan jolted up in her seat,blinking at Maya. “Hey,Maya…are you sure everything’s alright back there? Did you make sure everything’s turned off?”

 

Maya frowned,slowing down and pulling over. “K-kanan-san,i-it’s impossible for anything to be turned on back there,there’s no power source of any sort.”

 

Kanan blinked. “Then…what just happened behind there?”

 

Without another word spoken between them,they hopped out of the truck,slowly creeping towards the back.

 

Kanan wasn’t one for violence,but she kind of wished she’d brought something she could use. Would certainly beat smashing a 30000 yen guitar over whatever was inside there.

 

“Maya…stay behind me.”

 

Slowly,Kanan unlocked the shutter,and pushed it up.

 


	4. Fukushima-Miyagi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mysterious stowaway is finally revealed.
> 
> Dia is vulnerable,for just a moment.

Kanan stared down the darkness of the densely-packed cabin of the truck,Maya resisting the urge to grab onto her arm for security. By the time they had stopped on this unlit side street,the sun had already set. It was impossible to see all the way to the back.

 

“ _Damn it…_ ” And Kanan didn’t even have a flashlight on hand. She held up her phone and turned on the screen,trying to see into the cabin. “W-whoever you are…you’d better come out now!”

 

_Thud._

 

Michelle’s mascot head hit the floor,rolling out towards them.

 

Maya gave a frightened squeak,squeezing Kanan’s arm tightly.

 

An almost inhuman moan echoed from within the cabin,as shuffling footsteps approached.

 

“ _ **Urrrrrgh…**_ ”

 

With a crash,a certain black-haired girl slumped forward,crashing down on her face before them,still wearing the Michelle suit.

 

“O-okusawa-san?!”

 

* * *

 

“...It was kind of weird being the so-called ‘mom friend’ at first,but I think I’ve kinda grown into it. There was this one time I had to miss Roselia’s practice,and…” Lisa continued going on and on.

 

Dia massaged her temples,her fingers brushing past her perfectly straight bangs.

 

“...and we managed to clean the milk up and save the wires from any damage,so…that was something.” Lisa shrugged. “…I understand you’re kind of in the same position,huh?”

 

Dia pursed her lips. “…I’m not. I mean…I am. I do care about them. I care about Mari,and Kanan. I care about the rest of Aqours,too. But…” She exhaled. “…sometimes I feel like they take it for granted. It’s not like they’ve asked too much of me or anything,but…I’m human too,you know. I don’t want to feel like…” Her voice lowered. “…like one day someone will really need my help,and I can’t give it to them.”

 

Lisa tilted her head slightly,her tone softening to match Dia’s. Tentatively,she reached her hand out,gently resting her fingers on Dia’s arm. “I get it. It’s…understandable to worry. Ever thought of bringing it up with them?”

 

“...Eventually. Not now. Look,everyone’s working so hard. We’re all about to play what is maybe the biggest event of our careers. I will stay strong for them.”

 

Lisa blinked,smiling a little. “Alright. Just…remember that you can share your burden. With your bandmates…maybe with some other people,too?” She wanted to say something like “ _forget being strong for them,be strong for yourself,first_ ”,but she didn’t trust herself to deliver it in a way that wouldn’t hurt Dia’s pride. She saw something of Yukina in the raven-haired girl sitting next to her,though Dia certainly seemed to be much more of a presence than Yukina tended to be.

 

Dia turned her head,glancing at Yohane,Ako,and Hina in the back seat. They were apparently engaged in a discussion on the most suitable celestial conjunction during which to perform channeling from the empyreal plane,which had led to them scribbling several star charts,sigils and magic circles on sheets of note paper.

 

“Ruby…” A whisper escaped her lips. Her gaze moved back to the front of the bus,where Ruby sat with Hanamaru,Rimi,and Yukina,watching live recordings of several past Future World Fes performances on someone’s phone.

 

A brief moment of vulnerability flashed over Dia’s face as she turned back to see Lisa smiling at her. “…That is part of what I mean. I…I love Ruby. We used to sing together…sleep together…but I can’t always be there for her. I almost wish she could be a little more outgoing,like Hikawa-san.” She glanced briefly at Hina again. “I guess Aqours has been good for her,in that way. She’s made friends that aren’t me,performed with people who aren’t me…”

 

Lisa moved just a little closer,putting herself shoulder to shoulder with Dia. “…But do you think Aqours has been good for you?”

 

“...”

 

Dia turned away,to look out of the window.

 

* * *

 

 

Nozomi quietly reached into her bag,feeling around for her tarot deck.

 

This wasn’t a time to get anyone else caught up in her silly little habits.

 

Honoka had been uncharacteristically tense and quiet in the week leading up to this trip,and it had spread,little by little to the other members as well. Nozomi didn’t expect it to escalate to a falling-out or anything like that,but this situation definitely couldn’t stand.

 

Carefully,she fanned out the cards,before stacking them up again in a different order. Reaching to the bottom of the stack,she pulled out a card and flipped it over.

 

Death.

 

And upright,for once.

 

A small smile crept onto Nozomi’s face.

 

“ _Rebirth. An ending,which is soon followed by a new beginning…_ ”

 

Satisfied,Nozomi closed her bag again. Looks like she’d have to do all she could to make that prediction come true…

 

* * *

 

 

With two anman,a bottle of Ramune,half a bag of potato chips,and a visit to the nearest convenience store bathroom,Misaki had been resuscitated to…something resembling functionality,anyway.

 

She stretched her arms and legs,before sitting onto the edge of the truck bed. They’d reassembled the Michelle suit and stood it upright in the truck again,but she didn’t want to even look at it right now.

 

Maya sat next to her,eyes filled with concern. “O-okusawa-san,how did you even end up in there?”

 

Misaki shrugged. “I don’t know. The last thing I remember,I’d just fallen asleep in Kokoro’s guest room before-”

 

Her eyes gleamed. “-the suits! I mentioned being kind of worried that I might not wake up in time to travel with everyone,and the suits must’ve just…put me into Michelle,and…put Michelle into the truck…”

 

Misaki let out a grunt of annoyance,balling up her fists. Kokoro’s trio of personal assistants/bodyguards,better known to the others as the Suits,were definitely competent at their jobs,if rather overbearing,as Misaki had just learned.

 

Just that moment,her phone buzzed.

 

_**Kokoro:** Hi there,Michelle! Hope you’re having fun with Yamato-san and Matsuura-san! See you soon at the Fes!_

 

Maya let out a chuckle. “You text them as Michelle?”

 

Misaki nodded. “Well…yeah. Those idiots- those guys have no need to talk to Misaki,anyway. Michelle’s the one who’s their bandmate. And well…” She scratched her head. “…I can’t stay mad at Kokoro. Not like she’s the one who asked them to do that…”

 

With that,she typed out a quick reply.

 

_**Michelle:** I’m alright! Looking forward to seeing you too! Stay sweet like honey,Kokoro!_

 

Kanan,having done a check on all the equipment that Misaki displaced,rejoined them at the entrance to the truck cabin. “There,Misaki. It’s all good,you didn’t break anything.” Kanan reached over,giving Misaki a bit of a reassuring squeeze. “…you don’t have to sit back here,you know. It’s a bit of a squeeze,but I think we can make room for you in front…”

 

“Ah!” Maya piped up. “I think…I think the stick shift is impossible to reach if there’s a third person between us. D-don’t worry,I’ll sit back here. We…we can switch off! Drive in shifts…we really do need to make up for lost time anyway.”

 

Misaki raised an eyebrow. “You sure? It’s not completely cut off,but it’s…dark in there.”

 

“Yeah,I’m sure. I…I like being around the equipment! And…and don’t laugh,but…I…I like tight spaces.” Maya’s face flushed red. “…N-no one outside Pasupare knows that,d-don’t go spreading it around!”

 

Kanan nodded. “I-if you need anything,just knock on the back,we…should be able to hear it. Now come on guys,we gotta get going.”

 

And with that,everyone took their positions,and resumed their journey.


	5. Miyagi (Sendai)-Iwate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Honoka remembers what she really wanted.
> 
> Rimi unwittingly puts Ruby into a crisis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This happened to be a Honoka-centric chapter.
> 
> As we enter the second half,feel free to suggest who you'd like the story to focus on,and I'll do my best to write about them.

Honoka wandered through the streets of Sendai,her jacket wrapped around her waist. In summer,even the evenings were hot.

 

She flipped her phone open. No messages. They’d text her when the bus was ready to move again. She glanced up at the top of the screen. Full signal.

 

“ _When I was 10,I lived here in Sendai for a year. I think there was a nice izakaya near here. Maybe you can go check it out? Bring us back some yakisoba or something…_ ”

 

Saying that,Nozomi had patted Honoka on her back and sent her out on her own. Honoka couldn’t help but feel a pinch of irritation at Nozomi’s demeanor,but she had to admit that a bit of a walk away from everyone else would help her clear her head and still the waves of her heart before they arrived at Future World Fes.

 

Rounding a corner into an alley,she gave a start. There it was,exactly where Nozomi said it would be. Honoka supposed it was true. Small,independent businesses often proved surprisingly survivable.

 

The old woman behind the counter was grilling up a puddle of noodles and a few chunks of meat,while a curiously familiar woman sat as she waited for her dinner.

 

Honoka found herself stepping forward to join the customer,who gave her a glance that was not unwelcoming.

 

She looked to be in her mid 20s,wearing her thick,brown hair in a fluffy ponytail. “You’re…Kousaka Honoka,aren’t you?”

 

Honoka let out a little “eep”,before nodding twice vigorously. “Yes! Kousaka Honoka,that’s me! But…d-do I know you?”

 

The woman gave a chuckle,turning to look at the small TV set on the counter. “I’d be surprised if you didn’t. But probably a little thankful,too.”

 

Honoka’s eyes ran cautiously up and down,before she clapped her hand to her mouth. “Oh…oh my gosh! You’re…Ayumi,aren’t you? From Marmalade!” The idol group Marmalade had had a prominent five year run,leading up to a sold-out farewell performance just last month. Honoka couldn’t make it,but she’d used that stream,and many recordings of Marmalade's previous performances as examples of choreography for Muse.

 

Ayumi,for her part,barely acknowledged Honoka’s enthusiasm. “Clever girl. You’re heading up to Aomori,aren’t you?” Reaching into her pocket,she unfolded an advertisement flyer for Future World Fes,with a photo of Muse taken at the last Love Live tournament.

 

Noticing the photo of them,Honoka turned her gaze away. “Y-yeah…we’ve more or less gotten top billing,considering how we won Love Live…”

 

Ayumi quirked an eyebrow,gently resting her hand on Honoka’s arm. “You don’t seem too happy about that…having doubts? I mean,you worked so hard,and all to save your school from closing down…”

 

Honoka inhaled sharply. “Ah! You…you know about that?”

 

“Of course I do. I may be newly retired,but I do pay attention to the up and coming talent,you know. And you girls…are _talent_.”

 

Honoka felt herself bite her lip,a nervous habit she’d picked up recently. “…thanks…but now I just,I just don’t…know…”

 

“Don’t know?” Ayumi sighed. “I get it.” Somehow,her voice took on just the slightest edge to it. “You put together a group with a shared goal,a rather desperate one,and while you’ve bonded along the way,you don’t know how well the group can stay together when you have to set your own goals. You could aim at anything now…but you’re aimed at nothing. Ha,I wish I could have had the freedom of being an amateur…”

 

She looked down,her gaze meeting Honoka’s wounded blue eyes.

 

“Oh,don’t look at me like that. I was referring to your employment status,not the quality of your work. But…” A smile came onto her face. “…that’s the thing,isn’t it? You’ve never spent a day in your life as a pro idol,signed away to an agency. School idols have all the creative control. They can wear what they want,write what they want,sing what they want…sing with whoever they want. You chose the members of your little club for a reason,and I think…you can always come back to that. How do you feel…about them?”

 

Honoka exhaled sharply. “I…well,I…I love them. I love them all. Kotori-chan and Umi-chan…we’ve known each other for so long,and they had my back all this way…it’s like,this whole Muse thing is an extension of our friendship. And everyone else has their own feelings and ideas too,but we’ve always,always been able to bring them together…if…if Otonokizaka never had to close down,I feel like we’d have found each other anyway.”

 

Ayumi leaned back a little bit,a satisfied look on her face. “There you go. You know,the day of my retirement,I had to give the same talk backstage to another girl about your age…she was with an agency,though. I told her…what I thought she needed to hear. And I’ve just told you what I think you need to hear. You don’t have to listen to me if you don’t want to. I’m just one person. But I’d say if you set your goal to something like ‘have fun with my friends’,you’ll find yourself meeting that goal in new ways every day.” She patted Honoka on her shoulder. “And you’d better make good use of it,too. Only got a little over a year left as a school idol…unless you think you’d like to go pro.”

 

“You’re…you’re right.” Honoka murmured. “We came together because we were meant to. Because we had it in us to be the best of friends. Not…not just to save our school.”

 

She stood to her feet.

 

“Oh,leaving so soon?”

 

“Y-yeah! Thanks,Ayumi-san! I gotta let Muse know what you just told me! Good luck!” She turned and ran out of the alley,sprinting back to the bus.

 

“ _...Good luck with what?_ ” Ayumi couldn’t help but wonder. “Good luck to you too!”

 

* * *

 

 

With Honoka gone,Ayumi burst out laughing. “Bahahaha! I feel…so _bad_ for being so mean to her! I almost ended up crying myself!”

 

Dumping the noodles into a bowl and sliding it over to Ayumi,the old woman shook her head. “You always were a good actor,Ayumi-chan. And you said it yourself. It’s what she needed to hear…”

 

“I guess you’re right. Look at me,I’m already shaking my head at those youngsters,I’m getting old.” Ayumi couldn’t help but chuckle.

 

“So when are you going to find a nice girl and have a kid I can be godmother of,huh?”

 

* * *

 

 

“Ne,so Dia-san is Ruby-chan’s big sister,huh…” Rimi gave a little laugh. “You have the same eyes…”

 

“Uh-huh!” Ruby gave a little nod. “Dia-chan always tries so hard,not just for me,but now for all of Aqours,too. Sometimes,I kind of wish we could sing together again,just the two of us.”

 

Rimi leaned back in her seat,kicking her legs a little. “Maybe you can record like,a duet with her or something? I know you guys have done a couple of subunit songs…”

 

“It’s not the same-” Ruby’s voice rose just a little bit,before she clammed up again. “S-sorry…I…I shouldn’t be so childish…” She raised her hand,undoing her pigtails to let her hair fall free. She wasn’t quite sure why she did that.

 

“N-no,I should be the one apologizing,Ruby-chan!” Rimi reached out,gently holding onto her. “I…I know what it’s like too. My sis,Yuri-chan,she’s in a band too,and we don’t spend too much time together now,but we still make sure we know how much we care about each other,and I’m friends with Poppin’ Party,too. A-anyway,maybe you can think of something you and Dia-san can do too? Just the two of you…I think she’d be happy to see your initiative!”

 

“...”

 

Ruby turned further away,looking out the window.

 

* * *

 

 

Nozomi smiled as she saw Honoka approach,panting and sweating quite a bit.

 

“Oh? You seem in quite a hurry,Honoka-chan. Didn’t pick up the yakisoba?” Nozomi paused. “Don’t worry about it,Moca-chan helped us get some food. Somehow,she has point cards for pretty much every store chain in the country…”

 

Inside the bus,Eli balanced boxes of store-bought sushi in her arms as she tried to make sure everyone got more or less the same amount.

 

“...but anyway. You look pretty good,huh? Maybe…something lucky happened on your way?” Nozomi flashed a knowing smile.

 

Honoka beamed,returning that smile.

 

“Yeah! I think…I’ve got something to tell everyone.”

* * *

 


	6. Iwate-Aomori

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A pair of birds make a scene.
> 
> Sisterly tension simmers.

The humming of the truck engine echoed throughout the evening air,as it sped ever closer to its destination.

 

Misaki let out a relieved breath,the window half-open to let the cool night air in. She felt something of a tug of guilt as she thought about Maya in the back of the truck,pressed close to the amps and drums and whatnot.

 

But she did volunteer,after all.

 

With that thought,she relaxed in her seat,looking out at the night sky.

 

“Kanan-san…it’s kinda funny. When we were first putting this all together,I was kinda worried that Kokoro and Mari might butt heads or something. You know,like with the whole…flying us over thing.” Misaki shook her head. “Rich people…aren’t really like us…but I guess it ended up working out without any particularly strong disagreements.”

 

Kanan shrugged. “Well,I can’t speak for the mega-rich as a whole,but Mari’s never been one for dick-measuring-” She held herself in front of a junior. “-never been one for one-upsmanship. Kokoro’s…cute,though.” Kanan held one hand up to her chest,pretending to measure Kokoro’s height. “Like,like a…mini Mari.”

 

Misaki let out a soft laugh. “Heh,I…I guess you’re right. Kokoro’s energetic,but she never,ever gets mad. She wouldn’t even hurt a fly…” She turned,angling herself towards the window. “…but she might pull that fly out of their part-time job and force them to join a band.”

 

Idly,she pulled out her phone,sending a text to Maya.

 

_**Misaki:** Hey,Maya-san. You okay back there?_

 

Something like a rumbling and an “ow!” came from the back before she got a reply.

 

_**Maya:** Oh yes,I’m totally fine!_

_**Maya:** Kind of had to twist my arm just to get my phone out_

_**Maya:** But I’m fine!_

 

Misaki slipped her phone back into her pocket.

 

“Kanan-san,we should probably switch off again in about 10 minutes…”

 

* * *

 

 

Tomoe turned her head,stretching her stiff neck.

 

Moca was still leaning on her,eyes closed. It was always near impossible to tell whether Moca was asleep,close to it,or just pretending. At least,whenever she wasn’t on stage,delivering another quality performance. Or as Ran would say,”same as always”.

 

She wondered if Ako was doing okay. She probably didn’t need to worry. Ako was an attentive girl. And she had to give Ako’s bandmates in Roselia some credit. Despite their…stiff demeanor,Yukina and Sayo had learned how to handle Ako’s boundless energy.

 

And Lisa was,of course,everyone’s caring big sister.

 

It always felt a little strange,seeing people trying to group herself,Saya,and Lisa together as some sort of “mom friend” clique. Still…Tomoe had to admit,she’d rather be someone that others could rely on instead of someone that people didn’t come to for help.

 

Thinking about that,she gently tilted Moca’s head up,her other hand resting behind her waist to adjust her into as straight a posture as possible on the bus seat.

 

An impish smile crept onto Moca’s face. “Hey,thanks Tomo-chin…”

 

Resisting the urge to flick Moca’s nose,Tomoe reached to the seat in front of her,tapping it lightly.

 

“Hey Himari,you doing okay? You’re not carsick or anything,are you?”

 

Himari leaned towards the window in order to make eye contact with Tomoe. “Oh no,I’m quite alright! T-thanks for the concern,Tomoe- aaaaah!” Her response was cut off by a scream as a small,brown object slapped her in the face through the open window.

 

“Himari? Himari,are you-” Tomoe’s voice was cut off as well,as the brown mass split into two,bouncing off her face and promptly continuing on its trajectory to the back of the bus,making a sudden and inexplicable curve towards a particular row of seats.

 

Rin leapt to her feet,grabbing at the mass but missing. “W-wha…? Kotori,look out nya~!”

 

Tomoe jogged to the back half of the bus,only to be greeted by the sight of Kotori and Tsugumi smiling.

 

Each of them had one hand raised to each other,a pair of petite sparrows perched lightly on their fingers as they twittered at each other.

 

“Ah! S-so cute…” Tsugumi giggled,moving her hand a bit to let the birds nuzzle each other. This conveniently let her fingers intertwine with Kotori’s as well,though no one present chose to point that out.

 

“Oh…” Kotori blushed,just a little. “B-birds always seem to respond to me like this for some reason.” Turning to the birds,she let out a soft chirp. “Chun chun!”

 

_*Tweet tweet!*_

 

Tomoe blinked. Now she’d seen everything.

 

“Um,well,we shouldn’t keep them here for long…” With that,Kotori held her hand and Tsugumi’s out,letting the birds fly out the window. “Goodbye,miss birdies!”

 

Moca,who had apparently woken up at some point,gave a snicker. “We got a real pair of princesses on here,huh?”

 

As though summoned by the mention of the word “princess”,Kaoru slipped into view. “Ah,a meeting of two loving pairs,fleeting as it was,doubled the beauty in this dull world. I wonder…” She made a dramatic gesture at Kotori and Tsugumi. “…I wonder if our own dear pair might learn a thing or two from those birds.”

 

Kotori blinked. “U-um,Tsugu-chan,you’re…still holding on to my hand…”

 

* * *

 

 

Tae petted Ruby on her head,running her fingers through her loose hair. “I-it’s true…” She murmured,astonished. “…Hanamaru-chan was right. Ruby is like a little bunny,so soft and cute…”

 

Ruby gave a little giggle,nuzzling into the crook of Tae’s arm. “Tae-san is so warm and nice…do you think you’d have room for one more bunny at home?”

 

Tae chuckled,taking it in stride like she always did. “If Ruby turned into a bunny,I’d keep her at home and play every day with Ruby and Oddie for sure.” She found her arms moving back to pet Ruby’s shoulders.

 

“Eeeeh…” Kasumi pretended to pout,leaning in to nudge Tae. “…In that case,I wanna be Tae’s pet bunny too!”

 

Tae smiled,holding one arm to hug Kasumi close too. It felt warm. It definitely felt good. “Yes,yes…you can be a bunny for me,too…”

 

In the midst of that,Ruby looked over to Dia.

 

“ _See? Ruby doesn’t need Dia to cuddle her any more! There are **other** people who love Ruby too!_ ”

 

That thought flashed through Ruby’s mind for only a split second,but she forced it down.

 

That wasn’t what she really felt,was it?

 

She didn’t hate Dia for becoming more distant lately.

 

She didn’t want to make Dia jealous.

 

_But then…why was she even thinking these thoughts in the first place?_

 

* * *

 

 

Seeing the scene unfold,Dia bit her lip and turned away.

 

It was true,she supposed. Ruby had other people to care for her,to cherish her too. Old friends,new ones…she’d grown a lot from that shy,quivering girl who could only speak to Dia. That wasn’t a bad thing. It meant Dia could let go,could give her proper room to grow…

 

Her hand unconsciously moved to her chest.

 

_But then…why did it feel like something that held her heart in place was gradually vanishing?_

 

* * *

 

 

Tomoe smiled as she lightly brushed a cotton ball with disinfectant over the scratches the birds left on Himari’s face. “There,all better.”

 

“Eh,what do you mean,all better?” Himari frowned. “It’s not ‘better’ yet! Look at you…” Reaching into the bag,she took out another ball and the little bottle of disinfectant. Dripping the fluid into the ball,she carefully cleaned the scratches on Tomoe’s face. “They almost hurt your eye…”

 

Tomoe sat in place,smiling wistfully as Himari worked.

 

“There! Now it’s better. And just for a fast healing…”

 

Himari leaned in,planting a kiss on Tomoe’s eyelid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mari's 163cm tall,while Kokoro is 155cm. Still,Kanan probably perceives a larger gap between them.


	7. Aomori, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riko learns just a little bit more about what being an idol means.
> 
> Aya regains her resolve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These next parts will probably be broken up a bit,between the day everyone spends in Aomori,and then the two days of the festival itself.

The mass of (mostly) bright-eyed young women filed out of the two buses near the festival venue,the drivers already having walked off somewhere for a well-earned morning drink. Already fans who hadn’t been lucky enough to snap up passes online were gathered at the front of the venue,with booths of questionable legitimacy being set up to unload tons of merchandise on the passionate fans.

 

They had the whole day ahead of them before the festival started in the evening,though quite a few of them chose to take advantage of the fact that the venue wasn’t far from a major sports center,giving them the opportunity to wash off the sweat and dust of the past two days of travelling through packed summer traffic.

 

Riko flipped through a stack of T-shirts wrapped in plastic,all of a design depicting chibi versions of Muse. “So cute…”

 

“ _I-idiot!_ ” A voice hissed from behind her,slapping her on the back. A short,pigtailed girl with sunglasses and a surgical mask on pinched her in the shoulder. “What the _hell_ do you think you’re doing,walking around openly in front of the fans? Do you _want_ to get hounded?!” With that said,the girl took out a pair of lensless glasses and another mask,shoving them into Riko’s hand.

 

Riko sighed,putting them on. As expected,the mask muffled her voice just a little bit. “T-thank you,Nico-senpai…but these shirts are really cute,though.” She flipped the taped-on price tag over,inhaling sharply. “S-so expensive…”

 

Nico shrugged. “Yeah,of course. It’s probably official. You do know that the Love Live winners have to license their likenesses to the organizers for marketing and merchandise purposes for the next year,right? And in return,their school gets a cut of the royalties…”

 

“Eh,is that so…?” Riko shook her head. “…I didn’t know that. C-chika-chan and Dia were always the ones who had to take care of all that official stuff.”

 

“Heh!” Nico nudged Riko a little with her elbow. “Well,maybe next year it’ll be your turn to be on T-shirts,and have your logo pasted on lightsticks. In the mean time,maybe I’ll lend you some money to get a Nico-nii T-shirt later tonight~!”

 

A rustling from under the table cut off Riko’s answer,as a girl stood up in front of them. “Sorry guys,we’re not open yet-”

 

Her eyes widened. “Hey…you’re Nico Yazawa,aren’t you…?”

 

Nico flinched,her arms shooting up into the air. “ ** _Geh!_** ”

 

* * *

 

 Chika sat politely and quietly opposite Aya in the Burger Smile as Aya gulped down the first of three Smiley Egg Muffins.

 

Aya gasped,her voice cresting into a sob. “I-I’m sorry…s-sometimes when I get anxious I kind of end up binge eating,and just…” She blinked back a tear.

 

Chika’s hand wrapped around Aya’s. Part of being a leader meant sometimes talking things out not to offer a real solution,but just to get someone through it. Part of being a friend was the same,too. She tried to think about what Dia would say in a situation like this. “H-hey,it’s nothing to feel bad about,okay? People j-just have needs,and problems,and s-sometimes,you just have to give in for a bit,and pick yourself up after…”

 

Aya sniffled,shaking her head. “What if…what if I mess up,on stage,in front of everyone? I…I don’t even care if I look bad,but my bandmates will end up looking bad,too…they worked so hard,and they had all kinds of things said about them…if I mess up,it’ll just bring them down,too!”

 

Chika’s hand rose,cupping Aya’s cheek as a single tear rolled over her thumb. “…It’s…it’s okay to cry,Aya. It’s okay to be scared…but,um. You met Ayumi on the day of Marmalade’s farewell,didn’t you? And she…told you something…?”

 

Aya nodded,calming down. She’d held onto the memory of that day. She’d played that conversation over and over again in her mind since then. “She basically told me…to be myself. Be Aya. I’m not the prettiest,and some people think my poses are weird,but I worked hard to get to where I am now…”

 

It was Chika’s turn to tear up,her thumb caressing Aya’s cheek. “Y-yeah,that’s right…you’re Aya. The Aya who refused to just lip sync…the Aya who gave Pastel Palettes hope to try again even after the first concert failed…the Aya who counts on her friends,and gives them something to count on too…”

 

Aya nodded. “Ayumi was right…C-chika-chan is right! With everyone in Pastel Palettes,I can do this for sure! E-even if I’m scared…I-it’ll work out because we trust each other!”

 

“Nice to see I left Aya-chan in good hands.” Chisato stepped into the restaurant,flashing a smile. “I mean it,you know.” She reached out,giving Chika a pat on her shoulder and Aya a few gentle strokes through her pink hair. “I’m just happy that you have friends you can trust outside of Pasupare,too.”

 

Chika shook her head,nodding at the empty seat next to Aya. “Um,well,you wanna join us for breakfast?”

 

“You know,I think I will.” With that,Chisato sat down,splitting one of the muffins and handing half to Aya. “Go on,the festival’s tonight. You could eat anything between now and then and it won’t make a difference. Of course,we’ll have to train just a bit harder to work it off later if you indulge…”

 

Hina popped up from the opposite booth,picking up the last remaining muffin. “This is a pretty boppin’ mood,isn’t it? We’re all getting hyped up to give our audience at Future World Fes a real zappin’ show! Kinda wish Sayo was here though,we haven’t eaten out together in a long time…”

 

Eve popped up next to her,nodding in agreement. “Maya-chan seems to be running late,too! I’m sure she and Kanan-san are doing alright…”

* * *

 

Eli walked with her hands behind her head,smiling as she watched Rin and Hanayo jog ahead and gawk at everything like they’d never been to a shopping district before. Lowering one arm,she took Nozomi’s hand. “Hey,Non-tan…ever think of moving up here? It’s nice and cool,especially in autumn…”

 

Nozomi gave a soft giggle,swinging her arm a little. “Oh,what’s the matter,Elichi? Missing the snowy tundra of Russia?”

 

“Well,you know. Maybe I’ll go back to visit next year. Bring a nice girl there to meet babushka…” Eli turned to Nozomi,giving a soft smile.

 

“Sounds like whoever she is,she’d be the luckiest girl in the world…” Nozomi turned away a bit,continuing their little dance of insinuation.

 

“Second luckiest,perhaps.” Eli chuckled. “I became the luckiest girl in the world the day I met you.”

 

Nozomi flushed a bright red,squeezing Eli’s arm tightly. “ _Elichi!_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course,I couldn't resist a bit of the usual "Nozoeli is an old married couple".


	8. Future World Fes, Day 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everybody gears up.
> 
> Kanan tries her hand at comedy.
> 
> Tension boils over.

Maya and Misaki got right to the work of unloading everyone’s equipment from the truck.

 

Misaki felt like she’d touched enough audio equipment for a lifetime,but they were already here,and her will to perform with the rest of Hello, Happy World hadn’t flagged.

 

Maya looked with admiration at the various pieces of equipment that they handed along the line,as their friends joined them in moving everything backstage or to the dressing rooms as needed. A musician was only as good as their gear,and Maya was pleased to see everyone’s equipment in top shape. Personally,she kind of liked to think that Pastel Palettes’ instruments were the best of all,thanks to her attentive,almost obsessive maintenance and modification.

 

“Um,Maya-san?” Kotori walked over,fidgeting a bit. “Could you pass me our costumes now? I want to make sure everything’s in order…”

 

“Oh!” Maya nodded,hopping up into the truck bed. “R-right here!” Saying that,she helped Kotori wheel down two full racks of Muse and Aqours’ meticulously made costumes. Some musicians could afford to be a bit more lax with their attire,but for idols every single crease,fold,and button had to be perfect. And just as she took pride in the equipment side of things,she could feel Kotori’s passion for the handmade costumes she designed.

 

“Unf…” Kotori grunted,carefully setting the racks upright. “You-chan,could you hurry these over to the dressing room?”

 

“Aye aye!” You quickly stepped in. Maya could feel that same prideful aura coming from the other girl. She couldn’t help looking over You as well,quickly turning away with a cough. She had to admit,Aqours’ audience was pretty lucky to have not one,but two impressively fit members to watch.

 

Now freed from being squeezed against the side of the truck bed by clothing,Michelle stirred to life,lumbering out of the truck bed and stepping to the ground with surprising grace.

 

Kokoro ran over,thankfully having gently set down the DJ console she was carrying,before jumping straight into Michelle’s arms. “Yay! Michelle! We missed you soooo much!”

 

She was soon joined by Hagumi and Rin,clinging to Michelle from various angles.

 

“Michelle feels so warm! It must’ve been hot in there,nya?”

 

“But Michelle’s so tall and strong,she’s none the worse for wear,nya!”

 

Michelle shook her head,raising her hands as much as she could. “It’s good to see you girls again too! Why don’t you all finish unloading,and I’ll join you later? Ho ho hoooooo!”

 

“You got it,Michelle! We’ll be finished before the next twinkle of your eye!” With that,Hagumi and the others jumped off,sprinting ahead to move the rest of the items.

 

Misaki leaned over,elbowing Michelle in her hollow belly. “And just what was that?”

 

Kanan chuckled,lifting Michelle’s head off her shoulders. “Why,whatever do you mean,Mii-kun?”

 

“That.” Misaki rolled her eyes. “Michelle doesn’t laugh like that,you know.”

 

“Well…” Kanan smiled,dropping Michelle’s head onto Misaki’s shoulders. “…I guess I’ll just leave it to the expert,then!”

 

* * *

 

 

**Future World Fes ~day 1 schedule~**

**Hello, Happy World**

**After School Tea Time**

**765PRO**

**Aqours (subunits: Azalea,Guilty Kiss)**

**Roselia**

 

\---

 

Kasumi beamed,looking at the schedule. Poppin’ Party weren’t due to play until tomorrow,but she appreciated seeing so much talent perform,not least the new friends she’d made over the past months.

 

“Ne,After School Tea Time…I think I’ve heard of them before?” Kasumi all but shoved the schedule into Ran’s face,as though she hadn’t already seen it.

 

“Well,yeah…” Ran pulled on the collar of her shirt a little. “They were…they are a rock band that was first active like seven years ago. Their members were in high school back then…” She looked away,mildly embarrassed as she played with her shirt. “…I hear they’re running some kind of reunion tour with the original lineup now that they’ve all graduated,they’re in their mid-20s now…”

 

Kasumi beamed. “Oh,you must be a big fan of theirs,huh? Didn’t you guys record a cover of one of their songs…? Maybe we can meet up with them after the festival’s done for the day?”

 

Moca gave a little chuckle,blase as always. “You know what they say about meeting your heroes…”

 

With a blush and a scoff,Ran turned away,walking off to talk to Tsugumi and Himari.

 

* * *

 

Lisa gently rested her hand on Dia’s,gently kicking her feet. “How you feeling,Dia?”

 

“...” Dia looked up at the evening sky.

 

Lisa leaned a bit closer. “You’re scared,aren’t you?”

 

“...” Dia wasn’t one to deny things that were true about herself. “So what if I am?”

 

“Well…maybe you can tell me what you’re scared of.”

 

“I’m scared that…that this is the end. We’ve built up so much to this thing as a team,and I feel like…like once this is over,the distance between me and Ruby will be so far apart…that we’ll never be back together again. But…” Dia blinked back a tear. “…that’s for the best,isn’t it?”

 

“I…can’t answer that question.” Lisa put her arm around Dia. “…but maybe you shouldn’t be worried about what is best or worst. What is it…that you want?”

 

Dia frowned. “I just…want Ruby to be happy. Is…is that egotistical of me? Maybe…maybe I just want to feel like I deserve to be called a big sister. Like I’ve earned that title.”

 

Lisa leaned back a bit,letting Dia ease back in the bench with her. “Don’t. Don’t beat yourself up like this…” She squeezed Dia close. “ Don’t feel guilty over what you want. You want Ruby to be happy. But…if I may overstep my boundaries a bit…do you think the way you’ve been acting lately is what would make Ruby happy?”

 

Dia curled up,shaking her head. “I…I don’t know.”

 

“It couldn’t hurt to reach out to her a bit more for now,you know? It’s not about duty,or earning something. Maybe what the two of you need right now is…trust. Yeah,that’s it. Trust.” Lisa cracked a smile at her own apparent cleverness.

 

“Trust…” Dia sat up again,repeating that word.

 

“Now…” Lisa stood up. “…Yukina and Sayo want to go over our set one more time while we still have the chance. You’ll be okay?”

 

Dia nodded. “I will be…fine.”

 

* * *

 

Kokoro sauntered to the front of the stage,microphone in hand,like it was the most natural thing to her. Her bandmates tended to agree,it was like she’d never been afraid in her life.

 

“Happy! Lucky!” Kokoro shouted.

 

“Smile! Hooray!” her bandmates (and quite a few people in the audience) responded.

 

“You know,I wrote this song about this one time when we were on a cruise ship (except Michelle),and this phantom thief showed up and kidnapped Kanon! We got her back,but I wonder what happened to that thief…”

 

Kokoro’s straight-faced delivery invited a fair bit of laughter from the audience and a “fueee~” from Kanon.

 

Misaki shook her head and pulled up the sliders on her DJ console,cuing up the peppy brass intro to the song.

 

The festival had begun.

 

* * *

 

_**Dia:** Ruby isn’t answering my texts._

_**Dia:** Anyone else can reach her?_

_**Chika:** No I can’t!_

_**You:** Me neither._

 

_\---_

Ruby walked through the brightly-lit streets of Aomori,looking up at the dark sky and idly kicking a can. Her loose hair blew slightly in the breeze.

 

The attention of others,of everyone except Dia,had started to feel stifling.

 

How much better did being out here on her own make her feel?

 

She almost felt like doing something really bad,like…like getting drunk.

 

That’d hurt Dia for sure…

 

_Hurt Dia…_

 

Why did she want to do that?

 

Why was Dia pushing her away?

 

_Why?_

 

\---

 

_**Hanamaru:** Dia-chan,if you can’t do it,we can pull out!_

_**Kanan:** It’ll be fine!_

_**Dia:** No._

_**Dia:** I’ll be there in a minute._

_**Dia:** The show must go on._

_**Dia:** I’m not backing out now._

 

* * *

 

Word of what had happened had gotten around,but Dia would not be dissuaded despite the repeated imploring of her peers.

 

Azalea’s performance went off without a hitch,as the disciplined nature of Dia Kurosawa shone through.

 

She never misplaced a step. She never missed a note.

 

As Lonely Tuning segued into Strawberry Trapper,Kanan and Hanamaru exchanged worried glances with Yohane,Mari,and Riko as they switched places on stage,quickly escorting Dia backstage.

 

Guilty Kiss began their own performance,ready to pour out everything they had into their melancholy lyrics even as worry for their friend blended with the anxiety that was natural before a performance.

 

* * *

 

 

Roselia took the stage,the final act of the night. If Yukina felt at all stung at the fact that Roselia was booked as a day one act,she didn’t show it.

 

There was no room for personal conflicts or egoism in Roselia. That is how it always was.

 

In a monotone that contrasted her powerful singing voice,Yukina began their introduction,with their heads bowed.

 

“From the depths of a black rosebud…”

 

“...our newest symphony emerges riotously…” Sayo continued.

 

“...to rouse the sleeping minds of man…” Lisa smiled.

 

“...to bind our hearts in a prison of passion…” Ako growled.

 

“A-as our opening move,w-we bring you…” Rinko stammered.

 

Yukina’s eyes opened as Lisa and Sayo struck a chord in perfect sync. “…Neo-Aspect.”

 

* * *

 

Mari walked through the lobby of her family’s hotel franchise in Aomori,everyone else trailing behind her. “It’s just for one night,you know? Don’t be shy. I can’t make it actually free,but I can basically cover the expenses for one night out of the monthly stipend Padre gives me,so you all don’t need to worry!”

 

Sayo shook her head. “I’m not about to say no. We didn’t plan on…roughing it tonight or anything like that.”

 

Hina leaned in,squeezing her arm tight. “It’s been such a long time since we slept in the same room,sis! I’m so happy to be able to join you!”

 

Mari noticed Sayo shoot Hina a sharp glance. That girl could probably stand to learn to read the room a bit more. Mari did her best to keep a straight face and make sure everyone was properly taken care of for the night so Dia didn’t feel like she had to busy herself.

 

\---

 

Tae bowed apologetically to Dia,lowering her face almost down to her waist. “D-dia-san,I’m…sorry.”

 

She felt the air tense,bracing herself for a slap or a kick,only to hear a gentle swish as Dia turned away. “S-sorry for what? It’s got nothing to do with you…”

 

Tae sprung up,taking a step closer to Dia. “But,but still,I know I was wrong.” A serious expression came on the face of the usually languid girl,as she grabbed Dia’s arm. “I…shouldn’t have caused Dia-san to become…unconfident towards her sister’s love for her. A-and now that Ruby is missing…”

 

Dia’s lips pressed together sharply. “Let. Go.”

 

Tae stared right back. “No.” Pulling on Dia’s arm,she quickly wrapped her arms around her,pulling her in tightly. Almost as if on cue,Saaya,Tomoe,Kaoru,and Chisato emerged as well,tightly enclosing Dia in their arms.

 

Dia grunted,turning and twisting at her shoulders. “W-what the hell are you doing?!”

 

Kaoru frowned,an uncharacteristically concerned look on her face. “T-the fair princess beseeched us to-”

 

Chisato raised her voice,cutting her off. “-Mari asked us to accompany you up to your room. To accompany you in your room.”

 

Saaya nodded,as best as she could in the tightly packed situation. “To make sure you don’t do…anything rash.”

 

Tomoe took a step back,bringing the others with her. “We’re not letting go until we’re sure you’ll get a good night’s sleep so you can greet Ruby when she comes back!”

 

Dia’s face fell. “I…you…well…thanks.”

 

And in that position,Dia and the five-pointed star of comfort and reassurance edged into the elevator.

 

 

 


	9. Interlude

_**Ruby:** I’m sorry_

_**Ruby:** Please don’t worry_

_**Ruby:** I’m coming back_

_**Ruby:** Don’t tell anyone okay_

_**Mari:** Come over to the hotel_

**_[Mari has shared an address.]_ **

_**Mari:** Come up to the penthouse,just mention my name_

 

* * *

 

 

Mari stood at the balcony,looking over the midnight city.

 

Ruby sat on the bed behind her,cleaned and in a fresh pair of slightly oversized pyjamas.

 

“I’m…sorry.”

 

Mari turned around,doing her best to project a soft,reassuring smile. “Don’t apologize to me. Don’t apologize to Dia,either.”

 

Tears welled up in Ruby’s eyes. “Onee-chan…onee-chan won’t want me any more…not after I ran away like that…”

 

Stepping forward,Mari wrapped Ruby in her arms. Maybe it was a bit indulgent. Maybe it wasn’t the way she should be treating her junior,her best friend’s sister. “Shh,don’t think that. Dia loves you. You love Dia. It’s just that…you’re growing. As a person. And some things just got in the way of that.”

 

Ruby whined,the tears already flowing freely. “You…you really think so? M-mari-chan…”

 

Mari cooed softly,her hand patting Ruby’s back. “I know Dia. She doesn’t turn her back on things. Not on school idols,not on me…so what more on you?”

 

“...” Ruby sniffled,her sobs softening as she buried her face in Mari’s chest.

 

“But you can’t just count on me to say that. I expect the two of you to look each other in the eye tomorrow,and talk all this out.”

 

In what was a considerable effort for her,Ruby looked up,her eyes meeting Mari’s. “O-okay! I’ll...be honest…”

 

“That’s a brave girl.” Mari sighed. “Now then,let’s get to sleep. And we can meet Dia and Kanan bright and early tomorrow…”

 

 


	10. Aomori, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sisterly love prevails.
> 
> An unexpected friend arrives.

Dia and Ruby looked at each other across the coffee table in Mari’s penthouse,both artfully avoiding eye contact. Dia fidgeted with the edge of her T-shirt,having gotten up early and showered to meet Ruby,who herself was still in Mari’s pyjamas.

 

Dia had spent the whole morning thinking about what to say,how to reach out to her sister who had grown up,and…grown away from her over the past months. But now that they were face to face again,all her planned speeches and noble,forgiving gestures flowed away like water down the shower drain.

 

But even so,she had to say something.

 

“Ruby,I-”

 

“Don’t.” Ruby balled up her fists,raising her arms as though to fend Dia off. “Y-you’ll just say you’re sorry,and start crying,and I’m s-supposed to go along with it,but your heart’s not really into it. Just…just leave me _alone_.” Her voice softened at the end,carrying not so much anger as…a hint of defiance. A hint of pain.

 

Dia’s eyes widened as her gaze met Ruby’s. Gazing into those green eyes that looked so much like her own…she’d never seen such a look in Ruby’s eyes before. It felt more and more like she was looking at a stranger. Her head swam. That thought felt like a punch in her gut. Clasping her hands together,she eased herself around the table,trying to approach Ruby. “Ruby,I…I just want to know what’s wrong. I just want to make you _happy_. J-just tell me what’s hurting you so I can help!”

 

Ruby scooted in the same direction,moving away from Dia. Her arms rose higher,blocking her chest. If not for the heavy,oppressive mood,the scene would almost seem comical. “Happy? Y-you want me to be happy?! Is that why you’re pushing me away? Why you’re spending time with Kanan and Mari and everyone except me?!”

 

Dia’s face scrunched up as realization dawned,the last pieces of the puzzle falling into place. She sat still,but reached one arm across the table to Ruby. “P-pushing you away was never what I wanted. It’s just,you entered high school,and you started making friends,and we both joined Aqours…I just thought that I’d be…coddling you if I kept hanging around you,and I…wanted to give you room to _grow_. To be…your own person.”

 

Ruby’s gaze softened as Dia explained,her arms lowering. Yet the pain remained in her face,tears welling up in her eyes. “Dia,why…why couldn’t you actually tell me this? I…I have friends. I have things to do that Dia doesn’t do. But…I don’t want to let go of you,not the way you’re thinking.” She crawled over,tentatively hugging Dia. “I…I still _need_ you,Dia. I still…want to be with you.” In her vulnerability,a sob escaped her lips,tears beginning to fall. “I’m…I’m just a little girl,so…childish…”

 

“Shh…” Dia reached up to stroke her head,beginning to hush Ruby like she did when Ruby cried as a baby. Just as quickly,however,she stopped herself. “…No. You’re…a beautiful,growing young woman.” She raised her other arm,pulling her close. “And…it was…wrong of me to just assume what you would want. What I should have been doing as your big sister…can you ever forgive me?” In her own cautious way,Dia let herself become vulnerable,letting Ruby into her heart again.

 

Ruby nodded,wiping her tears off on Dia’s sleeve. “Uh…uh-huh.” Her tears dry,she cracked a smile up at Dia. “L-let’s do our Rubesty together,okay? Just…for a little longer…”

 

Dia smiled back. “…For as long as you want,Ruby…”

 

Mari smiled in through the slightly open door,giving Dia a thumbs up.

 

Dia,for her part,shook her head and gave a little pout back.

 

Even if it was a bridge that would be used a little less in the years to come…for now,it was rebuilt,maybe even stronger than it was before.

 

* * *

 

 

Most of the others had left the hotel in the morning,whether to explore the city before the festival resumed at night,or more out of a sense of obligation to give Dia and Ruby space as they talked things out.

 

Riko bustled along,wearing her Nico-nii T-shirt over her long skirt as she looked at the storefronts. “Hm,Aomori’s famous for their apples,maybe we should stop by at a grocer or something and get some for everyone…”

 

Honoka trotted alongside her,peering over her shoulder. “Oh oh,maybe we can pick up some strawberries too…gotta make sure they’re properly sweet and not sour,though. Hm,but like half of our friends really don’t seem like the type to eat fruit before they get over-ripe…”

 

Nico leaned on a handrail nearby,mildly bored with the minutiae of her juniors’ apparent attempts to go grocery shopping while in a city half the country away. “Hey,Honoka. Remind me again of this mysterious manic pixie dream lady you said you met back in Sendai…” While Honoka’s inspiring pep talk on the bus that night had certainly revitalized Muse,it seemed Nico was more interested in the other details of that conversation.

 

Honoka turned aside from a display of fresh grapes to nod a little at Nico. “Oh? You mean Ayumi-san? She was from Marmalade,you know? They retired a little over a month ago,and I’m pretty sure we’ve watched their PVs in the club before,I’m surprised you don’t know about them to begin with…”

 

Nico snickered under her mask,adjusting her glasses. “Huh,’Marmalade’ eh? I remember them now. Nice…quaint little act. Never quite climbed out of the B-list. Come on,Honoka. We got better things to aspire to than them. Even so,I always thought Ayumi was their weakest link…”

 

Riko and Honoka seemed almost to have frozen,looking at something or…someone right above Nico’s head.

 

Nico slumped down. “…She’s right behind me,isn’t she?”

 

* * *

 

 

“Maa,alright then! To celebrate Dia and Ruby’s joyous reconciliation on the day of Future World Fes’ grand finale,I’m gonna take you all out to brunch!” Mari swept her arms out wide,addressing…the few members of all the groups that were still in the hotel.

 

Arisa peered into Michelle’s mouth,knocking on her head. “Hey,you’re not gonna come out to brunch with us dressed like that,are you? Having to walk around with Kasumi and Tae can get embarrassing enough as it is…”

 

“Well,its nice and cosy in here,I just might do that! Do ho ho hoooo!” A mischievous voice answered from within,as Arisa rested her hands on her hips,flashing Dia and Mari a “you put up with this?” look of...not exactly solidarity,but mutual understanding.

 

Hina chuckled,hanging off Michelle’s other arm. “I thought me and Sayo could join your brunch too,but she’s walking around town with the rest of Roselia. Guess they wanna really unwind after their boppin’ performance last night!” A playful smile came onto her face as she tugged Michelle closer to her. “Hey,maybe Michelle can be my big sis for a couple hours! Then I won’t be the only little sister there without a big sis!”

 

“Um…” “Michelle” pulled her head off,revealing herself to be Kanan. Thinking quickly,she dropped Michelle’s head onto Misaki’s shoulders again. “Hey,why don’t you field this one,yeah?”

 

“Don’t even think about it.” Catching the head like an oversized beach ball,Misaki tossed it back onto Kanan. “Since you like being in there so much,why don’t you come back with us and join Hello,Happy World? Then I can get a proper part-time job.”

 

“Ohhhh no…” Kanan shook her head. “Kokoro’s cute,but I couldn’t deal with her long enough to write any music,let alone play it. Now,Hina-chan,if you’ll just let go of my arm…” With surprising flexibility,Kanan slipped out of Michelle,resting the suit near the closet.

 

Mari giggled,turning away from her audience. “My my,this is going to be a lively outing,isn’t it? If only I had someone to hold my hand,too…”

 

As though she’d been cued in advance,Yohane stepped over to Mari,joining arms with her. “Did you summon me,my golden muse? With you,even the most earthen of foods can rival the taste of ambrosia…”

 

Misaki rolled her eyes. “Looks like someone’s been taking tips from Kaoru…”

 

* * *

 

 

Chisato’s footsteps clacked down the street as she continued her efforts to coach Aya. “So when you’re straining yourself a bit to reach a high note,you absolutely have to keep your poise and…Aya,are you listening to me?”

 

Aya blinked at the brown-haired woman who had just rounded the corner with several of her friends in tow. “Ayumi-san? Ayumiiiiii!” She all but charged forward,wrapping her arms tightly around her.

 

Unable to do anything but smile and sigh in Aya’s surprisingly firm grip,Ayumi looked down at her. “Awww…good to see you too,Aya-chan. I just thought I’d…come up here to surprise my number one fan before she performs at the biggest event of the year…but I guess this hug is worth ruining the surprise for!”

 

Honoka couldn’t help but smile a little as she tilted her head to the side,pretending to pout. “Hmph,Ayumi-san wasn’t this nice when we met…”

 

“Hm…” Ayumi carefully extracted her arm from Aya’s grasp,pulling Honoka close as well. “Come on,bring it in…”

 

Nico grumbled,walking over to Chisato while nursing the spot on her head that Ayumi flicked with her finger. “You’re not gonna start fawning over her too,are you?”

 

Chisato shook her head. “While I appreciate the role Ayumi-san plays for Aya,I can’t say I was a big fan of Marmalade’s work. But…her being here will do more good for Aya than anything I can make her do in the next few hours. So I guess…I’m looking forward to tonight.”


	11. Future World Fes, Day 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything comes together.
> 
> Everyone gives the best performance of their lives.

Ran couldn’t help but sweat just a little,looking out at the massive audience,yet to raise their penlights. They’d gotten used to performing onstage at quite a few venues now,but nothing could really prepare them for their first time performing live,for an audience of tens of thousands in person,and even more watching the livestream throughout the country.

 

Even so,she cleared her throat. “H-hey y’all…” She felt her voice slur. God,what if her dad was watching at home? Sure,their rough patches were over,but she just knew he’d have something pointed to say if she messed up on such a large scale.

 

Relax. Take a quick,deep breath. She wasn’t supposed to be some kind of cutesy idol or some sort of gothic visual kei hardass.

 

Just…herself. Just like her dear friends,the rest of Afterglow. Just…themselves.

 

“Y’know,when we started Afterglow,we never thought we’d be standing here performing for such a big…energetic audience. And I think,uh,I think we-”

 

Himari beamed widely,leaning over to Ran’s microphone. “And we’re just happy to be here,and share our sound with you. The sound built on our friendship!”

 

Ran felt the tension dissipate,finding herself smiling back at Himari. “…And to show you just what we mean,this is how I- how we roll.”

 

Her hand shot up to her guitar’s fretboard,Tomoe counting them in,their melody coming together smoothly,just as they’d already done a hundred times before.

 

“ _Nice save._ ”

 

She looked up,taking a breath in as she began to sing. That,she could do.

 

With her friends at her back,nothing seemed impossible,at least in this moment.

 

The same as always.

 

* * *

 

 

_Hoshi no kodo wo_

_Sotto_

_Tsukamaeta nara_

_So-no-te-de dakishimete_

_Ne mo hanasanai_

_Zutto hanashitakunai_

_Watashitachi noooooooo_

_Star Beat!_

 

As she launched into the chorus,Kasumi found herself throwing her head back,looking out over the stars in the sky as her voice burst forth. Even in the midst of the bright lights of the city,the stars shone abundantly,as though blessing her performance,and all her friends’,on this beautiful night.

 

Her voice,her guitar,all harmonizing perfectly with her friends.

 

She’d never felt closer to the stars than she did right at this moment.

 

Maybe she’d spend her entire life chasing the Star Beat that she’d heard that night so long ago.

 

But maybe,just maybe,she’d already found it.

 

Under the spotlight,with the sound of their music drowning out all fear and doubt,their passion shone as bright as the hottest star.

 

* * *

 

 

As always,CYaRon’s routine was lively,peppy,and downright adorable.

 

Compared to Chika and You,Ruby always had to push a little harder to raise her voice,step a little bit heavier to make sure she didn’t wobble.

 

But with every note they sang,every step they took,every time their arms linked,she knew she could count on them. And that…they were counting on her too.

 

She looked out over the audience,her smile lighting up the stage display.

 

Dia was close to the front,waving two magenta penlights and all but cheering her lungs out.

 

Ruby flushed,turning just a degree too far…

 

…only for Chika to subtly keep her from falling.

 

And with that,they continued,not missing a beat.

 

Ruby kept going,warmth welling up in her heart.

 

She couldn’t wait to hear Dia tell her how well she did.

 

* * *

 

 

“I’m sure quite a few of you remember…” Chisato murmured into the microphone,the conversational tone coming naturally to her. “…that not long after we started performing together as Pastel Palettes,there was an equipment failure at one of our performances that led to something of a scandal…we almost had to disband.”

 

Eve giggled,speaking into her own headset. “Even our blazing warrior spirits had a torrent of ice-cold water dumped on them! But…we didn’t stop there! It’s all thanks to Aya-chan that we found the strength to persevere!”

 

Aya gulped,taking her turn to speak. She let a smile come onto her face,as naturally as she could. “And it’s not just me,or Chisato,or anyone of us! It’s all of you! Y-you guys didn’t give up on us! You all continued to show your support!”

 

Aya sniffled.

 

Chisato tensed up,like a cat preparing to pounce.

 

“Bwaaaaaaah! I-I love you all…!”

 

As the tears flowed,Aya could barely make out Ayumi in the front row,smiling and giving her a thumbs up despite Aya’s embarrassment.

 

With one more sniff,Aya caught hold of herself. “And…to be able to come here to perform for all of you who love us so much,that…that just shows how far we’ve come since that day! A-and,we’re only going to get even better,with all your support!”

 

Chisato sighed. Well,at least their audience seemed to love a sometimes-crybaby Aya.

 

* * *

 

 

“Everyone~!” Honoka exclaimed,gleefully throwing her hands up in the air. “I know you’ve all had a wonderful time tonight! And now it’s time for our grand finale!”

 

She took a step forward,holding a hand out to the audience as the rest of Muse stepped smoothly into position. “And I know you all know what’s coming next!”

 

Seeing the sea of white penlights before her,Honoka’s heart skipped a beat. This was real. These were their fans. They knew all their songs,their dances…

 

The platform they stood on rose slightly,lifting them up as Honoka held her hand to her heart.

 

Aqours entered to the cheers of the audience,clad in outfits matching Muse’s.

 

It was one heck of a miracle that Kotori and You managed to alter the extra set of uniforms in time as they planned this performance.

 

Several members of the other bands joined them on stage as well,instruments at the ready.

 

Aya (having quickly redone her makeup) and Kokoro took their places before their mics.

 

Maya cued the lights.

 

Misaki prepared to control the output of 20 microphones.

 

Honoka stood up straight,her gaze radiating confidence as she prepared to lead her friends…and the entire audience. “Everyone,you know the words,so let’s all sing along!”

 

Eve played the soft piano intro on her keytar,a powerfully serene mood falling over the entire audience.

 

_Fushigi da ne ima no kimochi_

_Sora kara futte kita mitai_

 

Kasumi and Ran nodded to each other,delivering the sharp guitar riff that led into the verse.

 

_Tokubetsuna kisetsu no iro ga_

_Tokimeki o miseru yo_

 

Aya and Kokoro leaned in with their mic stands,smiling ear to ear as they built up to the chorus.

 

_Hajimete deatta toki kara_

_Yokan ni sawagu_

_Kokoro no melody_

_Tomerarenai tomaranai_

_Naaze!_

 

_Todokete setsunasaniwa_

_Namae o_

_Tsukeyou ka Snow Halation!_

Twenty voices rose in chorus,the musicians playing their hearts out.

 

_Omoi ga kasanaru made_

_Matezu ni kuyashii kedo sukitte junjou_

_Binetsu no naka tameratte mo dame da ne_

_Tobikomu yuuki ni sansei_

_Mamonaku start!_

 

As their voices echoed throughout the night,the stars in the sky almost seemed to fade away a bit,modestly giving way to the radiant young women who,for just a moment,shone brighter than they ever did before.

 

Tonight was a good night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the plot neatly wrapped up,only an epilogue remains. Hope you've all enjoyed this story up till now!


	12. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you,everyone.

**[Future World Fes group chat]**

 

**Kasumi:** Hey guys! Just poppin’ in (hehe) to let everyone know we’re home safe!

 

**Kasumi:** I had such a great time,we should all totally get together again for like…

 

**Kasumi:** A vacation or something! As fun as it was,this kinda felt like work…

 

**Arisa:** That’s what you’re whining about?

 

**Arisa:** Typical.

 

**Honoka:** I totally get what you mean,though! It’d be nice to go somewhere where we’re not like,gonna perform or whatever.

 

**Saaya:** Hey,maybe we can head up to Hokkaido in winter,I hear the hot springs are lovely…

 

* * *

 

 

**Tae:** I

 

**Tae:** I had a good time.

 

**Tae:** Again,I’m sorry…

 

**Ruby:** Don’t be! I had a good time with you too! And neither of us blame you,nothing that happened was your fault!

 

**Tae:** But

 

**Dia:** Don’t.

 

**Dia:** Just let it go. We already have.

 

**Dia:** And…

**Dia:** I wouldn’t mind you and Ruby seeing each other more.

 

**Dia:** Make of that what you will.

 

* * *

 

 

**Yohane:** Are you ready to devote yourself…

 

**Ako:** …to the rose that conquers all?

 

**Yohane:** Love is everything…

 

**Hina:** Pastel Kiss!

 

**Ako:** What

 

**Yohane:** No

 

**Ako:** Pretty sure we were going to call ourselves Guilty Rose

 

**Hina:** Rosekiss Palette?

 

**Yohane:** I’ll put that down as a maybe

**Yohane:** We can work it out later

 

**Ako:** Coming up with names is the most fun part,though

 

**Yukina:** I believe I can speak for Sayo when I say that the three of you will **never** be allowed to form your own band.

 

* * *

 

**Tomoe:** Hey,Kotori-chan

 

**Kotori:** Hm?

 

**Kotori:** Yes,Tomoe-san?

 

**Tomoe:** Uh

 

**Tomoe:** It was like two days ago

 

**Tomoe:** But I can’t stop thinking about that bird thing that happened on the bus

**Tomoe:** Does that…happen often?

 

**Kotori:** Well,I wouldn’t say it does…

 

**Kotori:** But the few times I get close to an animal,they just seem to feel at ease around me,you know?

 

**Kotori:** They’re positively smitten

 

**Tomoe:** Huh,I see

 

**Tomoe:** Well,Tsugumi must have some bird in her

 

**Tomoe:** She hasn’t stopped talking about you yet

 

**Tsugumi:** Tomoe!  >///<

 

**Kotori:** >///<

 

* * *

 

 

[A private chat has been opened. Participants: Tsurumaki,Mari]

 

**Tsurumaki:** Good evening,Miss Ohara? While we’re here,I guess you can call me Yuko.

 

**Mari:** Yuko…do I know a Yuko?

 

**Tsurumaki:** I serve as the head of security for the Tsurumaki estate,and I take on the personal duty of serving as the young mistress’ bodyguard and personal assistant.

 

**Mari:** Oh,I see. So that must mean you were one of those lovely ladies in suits tromping covertly around my family’s hotel,yes? Padre gives me a few allowances,but he doesn’t much appreciate suits sneaking around on the premises.

 

**Tsurumaki:** I assure you,I have no interest except the safety and comfort of my charge. On that topic,however…

 

**Mari:** Mmhmm?

 

**Tsurumaki:** The Tsurumaki estate insists on reimbursing you in full for the expenses incurred during your entire group’s stay at your family’s premises,as we have heard that payment was initially made out of a personal stipend.

 

**Mari:** Oh,please. Is that what this is about? There’s no need to be so gracious. After all,your young mistress did charter our flights back from Aomori…

 

* * *

 

 

**Aya:** Muse was really cool though! Just what I’d expect from the winners of the Love Live Tournament…

 

**Aya:** It’s kind of intimidating!

 

**Aya:** I might want to suggest to the agency that we try out and compete next year…

 

**Nico:** Ha,you think so?

 

**Nico:** Bring it on!

**Nico:** Even with Nico-nii graduated,the juniors I trained will be sure to give a performance even better than this years!

 

**Chisato:** I wonder just how much the juniors managed to learn from someone like Nico-san…

**Nico: what**

 

**Nico:** Fight me irl

 

* * *

 

 

**Misaki:** So,what do you think

 

**Misaki:** You seem to like the mascot so much,why don’t I have the suits send you one

 

**Misaki:** And we can switch off being Michelle

 

**Misaki:** As long as you work on that laugh

 

**Kanan:** Do ho ho hoooooooooooo

 

**Misaki:** God I can still hear it now

 

**Misaki:** That,I don’t want to hear that ever again

 

**Maya:** I think it’s cute though

 

**Misaki:** Michelle?

 

**Misaki:** Yeah she kind of is,but it really grates if you wear it six hours a day

 

**Maya:** Uh,yeah,I was totally referring to Michelle

 

**Maya:** Huhehe

**Maya:** Okay fine,it’s not Michelle

 

**Maya:** Kanan

 

**Maya:** Shit

 

**Maya:** Kanan’s laugh is cute…

 

**Kanan:** Um

 

**Kanan:** I see

 

**Kanan:** Well,thank you,I appreciate the compliment

 

**Maya:** >///<

 

**Kanan:** Hey,don’t feel bad,I really appreciate it

**Kanan:** I enjoyed travelling with you too

 

**Maya:** >/////////<

 

**Misaki:** You two know this is a group chat,right?

 

* * *

 

 

**Rin:** I was so surprised to hear that Hagumi plays softball,nya! =^∇^*=

 

**Hagumi:** Muse should totally come over again and we can have a friendly match,nya! (⁎˃ᆺ˂)

 

**Misaki:** I wish I could’ve forgotten about this,but

 

**Misaki:** I guess now I have to deal with Hagumi meowing now

 

**Eli:** Well,I agree it seemed a little…obnoxious at first,but it grew on me,you know?

 

**Misaki:** Maybe you’re right…

 

* * *

 

 

[A private chat has been opened. Participants: Misaki,Kanan]

 

**Misaki:** It’s not growing on me

 

**Misaki:** It’s insufferable

 

 

* * *

 

 

**Yukina:** I have an appreciation for…felines,I admit. But this is ridiculous.

 

**Ran:** I mean when you’re dealing with Little Miss Goetia and Hermit Crab Buddy in your band already,I kind of think a meowing person isn’t going to leave much of a mark

 

**Ran:** Besides

 

**Ran:** It’s not like she goes to our school

 

**Ran:** No idea how their drummer puts up with it

 

**Moca:** Ha,Yukina

 

**Moca:** Surprised you wouldn’t want people to meow more

 

**Moca:** Like you wouldn’t want Lisa-lisa to put on a pair of kitty ears and go “ _nya~_ ”

 

**Yukina:** Despite her demeanor,I doubt she’d do something so

 

**Yukina:** Undignified

**Moca:** You sure?

 

**Moca:** I think she’d do that

 

**Moca:** And then you’d be all over her

 

**Moca: P**

**Moca: u**

**Moca: s**

**Yukina:** That is it

 

**[Admin Yukina has banned user Moca]**

**Yukina:** I hope you’ve all got each others phone numbers

 

**Yukina:** And email addresses

**Yukina:** Because this conversation

 

**Yukina:** Is over

 

**[Admin Yukina has closed the group chat.]**

 

**~END~**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so,this story that was somewhat uneven,like the road the girls travelled,now draws to a close.
> 
> Whether you followed this from the start,or went through it all at once...if you're reading this,thank you for offering your time to this story of mine.
> 
> This was my first time actually writing a multi-chapter fic,and it was rather ambitious of me to tackle a cast of up to 43 characters.
> 
> I gave it all I could,and I hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> I hope I can write more for these and other fandoms,real soon.
> 
> Again,I thank you all for reading and enjoying this fic.


End file.
